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Editorial: Soccer remedy
Regardless of the result of the first leg of the AFF Cup semifinal match between Indonesia and the Philippines on Thursday, the host team has seized back the public’s confidence, which has eluded them for a long time
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egardless of the result of the first leg of the AFF Cup semifinal match between Indonesia and the Philippines on Thursday, the host team has seized back the public’s confidence, which has eluded them for a long time.
Such enthusiasm was already visible a few days ahead of the much-awaited game as supporters of the Indonesian team lined up for tickets, which were sold at a much higher price compared to the tickets to watch the group matches.
The sacrifice speaks volumes of the public’s thirst for international championship trophy, which last decorated the Football Association of Indonesia’s cabinet in 1991 when the national team won the Southeast Asian Games gold medal. During a span of almost two decades the national squad was several times so close to the title but quite often became the laughing stock as what happened in the Southeast Asian Games last year when it was humiliated by minnows Laos 2-0.
A sweet revenge in Jakarta, a 6-0 drubbing of the same opponent on Dec. 4 that assured Indonesia of a place in the AFF Cup semifinals, marked a resurgence of a team that once ruled the roost in Southeast Asia and was feared by many Asian soccer powerhouses.
The upturn continued to gain momentum with a 2-1 win over Thailand to end 12 years of Indonesia’s winless streak against its archrivals.
Many have linked the recovery to the inclusion of two naturalized players, Uruguayan-born Christian Gonzales and the Netherlands-born Irfan Bachdim, in the team. The two have made an impact on the team but it would be an exaggeration to lay the entire burden on them. Soccer is a game of teamwork.
The soccer team has united the nation, which is currently being divided as a result of a power struggle among elite political groups. The national squad has given a reason to celebrate amid the war on corruption we have yet to win. Soccer has offered a remedy to our frustrating struggle to create more jobs and to feed more mouths.
Watching them stretch muscles on the pitch and score one goal after another is a luxury that we miss so much in a series of sports events where Indonesia has failed to excel in over the last few decades.
The fact that the team has won the hearts and minds of the soccer society throughout the country is a valuable asset for all stakeholders to regroup and work together to create an environment needed to help soccer players do their best. Championship trophies at the Southeast Asian level and beyond are just logical consequences of the way they perform.
Indonesia, home to 235 million people, should have never fallen short of soccer talents. It is only unfound yet or we may overlook it due to our poor scouting skills or perhaps lackluster efforts.
The challenge ahead is providing the best system of competition that allows a player a fair chance to move up the ladder and claim a place in the national team. We may be daydreaming if we have an ambition to adopt the leagues in place in England, but it is not impossible if we are determined.
We may kill the story ourselves if we lack political will to allocate more open spaces for sports facilities, including soccer fields. What happens on the ground is that our economy is booming at the expense of room for children to play and exercise.
